By Adam Ross
Written and directed by John Curran (Praise, The Painted Veil, We Don’t Live Here Anymore), and starring Luke Bracey, Mercy Road follows a man who is pushed to the limits of his sanity to protect his son.
Working from a script idea by Chris Pelletier and Jesse Heffring, Curran’s new psychological thriller will see him employ bleeding-edge technology to realise his vision. Teaming up with visionary Australian filmmaker Alex Proyas’ (The Crow, Dark City) virtual film production company, Heretic Foundation, Curran will utilise LED screens and Unreal Engine assets to create real-time in-camera compositing on a virtual set.
Luke Bracey’s career has been on the rise with recent roles in the films of directors Baz Luhrmann (Elvis), Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge), and Kriv Stenders (Danger Close). Of Bracey, director John Curran said, “The film is a man’s reckoning in the final hour of his life, and Luke is phenomenal as a man on the edge of sanity.”
Joining Luke Bracey in the cast are Susie Porter (Cargo), Huw Higginson (The Nightingale), and the ubiquitous Toby Jones.
Producer Michelle Krumm (Spectacular Now, Escape from Pretoria) is excited by the opportunities the new technology affords: “Mercy Road really pushes the boundaries of new technology and its innovation has delivered. By adapting our original production plan and utilising virtual production, we had 100 percent control of the environment which meant a faster shooting schedule and a safer space for the actors and crew to work in.”
